A cruise ship retracing the route sailed by the Titanic suffered its second setback in two days when a critically ill passenger had to be airlifted to hospital.

High winds had already delayed the Titanic memorial cruise reaching its first stop at the Irish town of Cobh on Monday, the last call made by the original Titanic before it hit an iceberg 100 years ago.

On Tuesday the ship was motoring towards the spot in the north Atlantic where the Titanic sank when the captain announced the journey was being interrupted because a passenger had to be rushed to hospital by helicopter.

The man, who works for the BBC as a cameraman, was named by the corporation as Tim Rex, 56. A spokeswoman said: "Unfortunately a BBC staff member was taken seriously ill while covering the cruise to the site of the Titanic. Following advice from the ship's doctors he has been taken ashore to receive urgent medical treatment."

Miles Morgan, managing director of Miles Morgan Travel, said the ship would go back about 20 nautical miles to get within helicopter range. "The passenger's condition is not thought to be life-threatening," he said.

The MS Balmoral is carrying 1,309 passengers – including relatives of some of the more than 1,500 Titanic passengers who died – to recreate the Titanic experience, minus the disaster.

The cruise was scheduled to last 12 nights, including a ceremony due to take place above the wreckage site at exactly the time the Titanic sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912. Morgan was unable to say immediately whether the delay would affect the ship's ability to reach the site on time.

The bad weather that hit the ship as it sailed from Southampton to Brighton continued on Tuesday afternoon, forcing the cancellation of a floor show due to safety concerns for the performers.

The cruise has been five years in the making and organisers have tried to make it as authentic to the era as possible. Passengers from 28 countries, who have paid £2,600-£8,000 each, are being offered dishes served on the Titanic and onboard lectures about the ship.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, the cruise operator said: "The safety and wellbeing of all guests and crew is paramount, and this decision has been made in conjunction with Titanic Memorial Cruises, as charterer of Balmoral for this voyage. Once the guest is off the ship for medical treatment the cruise will resume as scheduled."

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's tragic maiden voyage, and Belfast, where the ship was built, is going all out to commemorate the event, with the opening of the £97m Titanic Belfast exhibition centre plus a season of related events